FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019

CONTACT: Tony Mangan, Public Information Officer, 605-773-6196

Names Released In Pennington County Fatal Crash

What:    Three-vehicle crash

Where:  Interstate 90, mile marker 106

              Four miles west of Wall, S.D.

When:   3:47 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019

Driver No. 1: Nathan Fjelstad, 19, Groton, S.D., Serious Non-Life Threatening 

Passenger: Katie Kloos, 19, Pierre, S.D., Fatal 

Vehicle: 2007 Saturn Ion

Driver No. 2: Melissa Ulrich, 37, Sturgis, S.D., Serious Non-Life Threatening Injuries

Passenger: Alan Bakeberg, 36, Piedmont, S.D., Minor Injuries

Vehicle: 2014 Cadillac Escalade

Driver No. 3: Nicole Doerr, 24, Vermillion, S.D., No Injuries

Vehicle: 2016 Hyundai

WALL, S.D. – A Pierre, S.D., woman has been identified as the person who died in a three-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon west of Wall.

All three vehicles were westbound on Interstate 90.  At the time, the road was covered by snow and ice.

A 2007 Saturn Ion lost control while attempting to pass a 2014 Cadillac Escalade. The Saturn slid into the right driving lane where it was hit by the Escalade. The third vehicle, a 2016 Hyundai, also struck the Saturn.

Katie Kloos, the 19-year-old female passenger,  in the Saturn was pronounced dead at the scene. The 19-year-old male driver, Nathan Fjelstad of Groton, S.D., sustained serious non-life threatening injuries and was taken to a Rapid City hospital. Charges are pending against the driver.

Both occupants of the Escalade were injured and transported to a Rapid City hospital. There were no injuries in the Hyundai.

Seatbelt used by the deceased is under investigation. All of the others involved were wearing seatbelts.

South Dakota’s Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash.

The Highway Patrol is part of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

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Note: Records of state-reportable crashes are now available at http://www.safesd.gov/  Records should be available about 10 days after the investigation is complete.